Dispensing attachment for bottles



Dec. 15, 1953 A. 1.. VOIGHT DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR BOTTLES Filed July 15, 1950 INVENTOR. Auaus-r L'. Vo/s/lr BY W @M 19W- 44770RNEY5 Patented Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,662,670" DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR, BOTTLES,

August Louis Voight, Berea, Ohio Application July 15, 1950, Serial No. 174,017

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a dispensing attach ment for bottles or the like and, more particularly, to a means for facilitating pouring of liquids therefrom.

It is now customary at bars and other establishments selling beverages by the drink to provide the bottles. containing the beverages with dispensing spouts or tops to facilitate pouring and prevent wastage- Conventional devices prowided for this purpose, however, require that the bottle be partially or completely restored to upright position after the desired quantity of liquid is dispensed for the purpose of terminating the dispensing and/or to condition the device for a new dispensing operation. This repeated tilting is both time-consuming and tiresome where a large number of. drinks are to be poured in rapid succession and, moreover, frequently results in spilling and wastage of the liquids. Similar problems are encountered when liquids such. as vinegar, maple syrup and the like are to be poured inthe home or restaurant.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved dispensing attachment for bottles or the like such that a' desired quantity of liquid may be readily and conveniently poured from the bottle without spilling and without the necessity of tilting. the bottle back. to an erect or partially erect position to terminate the dispensmg.

Another object of the invention is toprovide 9 an improved dispensing attachment for bottles or the like such that the: dispensing of the liquid from the bottle may be readily started, and stopped at will while the bottle is in an inverted or partially inverted position and without the necessity of repeated-1y tilting the bottle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved dispensing attachment for bottles or the like such that dispensing of the contents may be repeatedly started or stopped at will ment by a finger on the hand holding the bottle inv the inverted or tilted position.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved dispensing attachment for bottles or the like having a stopper-like portion fitting into the neck of the bottle with a liquid dispensing passage therethrough and an integral portion extending downwardly exteriorly of. the bottle adjacent the neck. thereof and provided with a passage for admitting. air to the interior of the bottle, the said passage in the downwardly extending portion communicating with the. atmosphere through an. aperture located for convenient control by the finger of the individuals hand holding the bottle,,whereby flow of, liquid from the bottle while the latter is inverted or partially inverted may be readily started and stopped by selectively uncovering and covering said aperture.

The invention further resides in certain novel features of construction and further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from the following description of the present preferred embodiment thereof described with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich identical parts in the several views are designated by the same reference characters and in which,

Fig. 1 isv a side elevational view of the upper portion of a bottle with the novelattachment applied thereto, a part of the neck of the bottle being broken away to more clearly show the stopper-likev portion of the attachment;

Fig. 2. is a rear elevational view of the novel attachment per se;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the novel attachment. taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig, i. is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3:.

The dispensingattachment of this invention may be formed of metal, glass, or plastic materials, although plastics are at present preferred because of their case of fabrication, relatively low cost, and the wide variety of attractive colors available. As indicated in the drawings, the present preferred form of the attachment comprises a main body portion l8 with an integral downwardly extending stopper-like portion H. The portion II is preferably cylindrical and has the exterior thereof provided with one or more circumferential ribs or projectiens I2 for retaining a hollow stopper or gasket member l3 in place thereon The member 13 may be formed of cork or rubber of a size and shape which will provide sealingengagement within the neck M of a bottle from which liquids-are to be dispensed. Above the portion It, the main body N1 of the attachment is enlarged thereby providing a flange I5 for engagement with the lip of the bottle thus defining the extent to which the attachment portion H may be inserted. into the neck of the bottle as well as preventing upward displacement of the stopper or sealing gasket l3. In some cases, as for example, where the material of the attachment is somewhat flexible. the separate gasket member [3 is not needed and portion H is then shaped so that it directly engages the neck of the bottle.

Extending upwardly and outwardly from the main body iii of the attachment is an integral spout portion it which is provided with a central passageway i'l' extending therethrough and through the stopper-like portion i 5 thereby providing a dispensing passage for the liquid within the bottle. Also integral with the main body is a downwardly extending portion 58 which is adapted to lie adjacent the neck [4 of the bottle but spaced therefrom sufficiently for allowing easy insertion of the stopper-like portion H. The lower end of this downwardly extending portion [8 is preferably curved outwardly slightly as shown in the drawings, the length of the downwardly extending portion I8 being such that the curved portion I9 is adjacent the body 2e of the bottle so that the said curved portion 19 may be readily engaged by a finger or" the same hand used to hold the bottle. Extending through the downwardly extending portion E8 is a passage 2l. This passage 2| has a substantially U configuration within the main body of the attachment with a portion of the passage extending through the stopper-like portion 1 i in parallel relationship with the passageway ii so as to be in communication with the interior of the bottle. The passageway 2i within the downwardly extending portion 18 communicates with the atmosphere through an opening 22 located on the outer side of the curved portion l9 and preferably this aperture is provided with an apertured member such as a rubber or cork grommet 23 to provide a slightly raised boss somewhat resilient in nature. Alternatively, the boss adjacent the aperture 22 may be formed as an integral portion of the attachment.

In using the attachment, it is applied to a bottle containing liquid by inserting the stopperlike portion ii in the neck of the bottle in the same manner that a cork would be inserted.

Then, when the liquid is to be dispensed from the bottle, the latter is simply turned or tilted to place the spout portion [6 of the attachment at a lower level than the contents of the bottle and to completely cover the inner end of the passage ll, the liquid then being dispensed through the passageway H at a rate determined by the rate of admission of air into the bottle. The rate of introduction of air into the bottle, and hence the rate of dispensing of the liquid, is controllable by placing a finger adjacent the aperture 22 in the portion IQ of the attachment, rapid dispensing being effected by allowing this aperture to be freely opened while slower dispensing may be eiiected by partially closing the aperture with the finger.

When dispensing of the liquid is to be terminated, the aperture 22 is completely closed thus preventing the introduction of air therethrough. This closing of the aperture may be rapidly and easily effected by simply placing a finger over the aperture, and due to the position of this aperture the bottle may be held and the aperture controlled by one hand. Dispensing may thus be discontinued without returning the bottle to an erect or partially erect position and may be resumed at will by simply uncovering or partially uncovering the opening or aperture 22. So long as the neck of the bottle is maintained full of liquid, or sufficiently full so that the inner end of the dispensing passage I1 is not uncovered, dispensing of the liquid from the bottle may be started and stopped at will, while the bottle is continuously inverted or partially inverted, by simply moving the finger from and to sealing engagement with the aperture 22 so that repeated dispensing may be effected without spillage or wastage and without the necessity of repeated tilting of the bottle.

As mentioned before, the shape of the novel dispensing attachment is such that the aperture '22 is conveniently disposed adjacent the portion of the bottle normally grasped by an individual when dispensing therefrom so that the aperture 22 is available for ready control by one finger of the hand utilized to hold the bottle, thus leaving the other hand free for manipulating glasses or containers into which the dispensing is being effected. The provision of the grommet 23 or the equivalent raised boss upon the portion I9 is advantageous to facilitate easy location of the aperture 22 by touch thereby making it unnecessary to keep the eyes upon the attachment so that the entire attention may be directed to-- wards the containers being filled, thus facilitating securing the desired quantity of liquid therein. However, it is not necessary that a grommet or raised boss be provided about the aperture 22 and other expedients may be resorted to for facilitating identification of the aperture by touch and to insure proper sealing engagement of the finger therewith.

As mentioned heretofore, the attachment is preferably formed of plastic but may be cast or molded of other materials such as metal, glass, rubber, or the like. Likewise, modifications may be made in the device with respect to the shape of the extension 18 and the location of the aperture 22 and/ or in other features of the device to adapt it to bottles and similar containers of different sizes and shapes. Consequently, it is to be understood that the detailed illustration and description of the present preferred embodiment is not intended as a limitation upon the invention except as required by the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A dispensing attachment for a bottle or the like comprising, a stopper portion adapted to fit in the neck of a bottle and provided with two separate passages therethrough, a pouring spout integral with said stopper portion and communicating with one of said passages, and a flow controlling portion extending downwardly in spaced relation to said stopper portion for disposal exteriorly of the bottle adjacent the neck and substantially parallel with the latter when the said stopper portion is inserted therein, the said flow controlling portion having a passage therethrough communicating with the other of said passages in said stopper portion with the last-mentioned passage terminating at an aperture located adjacent the lower end of said flow controlling portion for convenient engagement by a finger of an individuals hand holding the bottle for a dispensing operation, whereby starting and stopping of dispensing is effected by selectively uncovering and covering said aperture.

2. A device of the character described comprising a unitary body including an integral stopper-like portion adapted to be inserted into the neck of a bottle, an integral spout portion having a liquid dispensing passage extending therethrough and through said stopper-like portion for communication with the interior of the bottle, and an integral downwardly extending portion disposable exteriorly of the bottle adjacent and substantially parallel with the neck of the bottle and provided with a passage communicating with the interior of the bottle, the said downwardly extending portion having an aperture located on the outer side thereof adjacent the lower end and communicating with the last-mentioned passage for convenient control of the flow of air therethrough by the finger of an individual holding the bottle, whereby flow of liquid from the bottle while the latter is inverted or partially inverted may be readily started and stopped by selectively uncovering and covering said aperture.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein a raised boss is provided about the said aperture to facilitate location of the aperture and selective closing thereof by the finger of the individual holding the bottle.

A dispensing attachment for a bottle or the like having an elongated neck, the said attachment comprising, a unitary body including an integral stopper-like portion adapted to be insorted into the neck of a bottle, an integral upwardly extending spout portion having a liquid dispensing passage extending therethrough and through said stopper-like portion for communication with the interior of the bottle, and an integral portion extending from a location adjacent said spout portion downwardly in spaced r. i do relation to said stopper-like portion in a manner such as to be disposed adjacent and substantially parallel to the neck of said bottle, the said downwardly extending portion terminating in an outwardly curved portion adapted to extend ad- ,iaoent the upper part of the body of the bottle and having a passage therethrough communicating with the interior of the bottle, the said outwardly curved portion having an aperture on the outer side thereof communicating with the last-mentioned passage for convenient control of the flow of air therethrough by the finger of an individual holding the bottle, whereby flow of liquid from the bottle while the latter is inverted or partially inverted may be readily started and stopped by selectively uncovering and covering said aperture.

5. A dispensing attachment as defined in claim 4 and further comprising a raised boss surrounding said aperture for facilitating location of the latter for selective closing thereof by the finger of the individual without the need of visual attention.

AUGUST LOUIS VOIGHT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 772,707 Elfstrand Oct. 18, 1904: 859,157 Warren July 2, 1907 1,436,645 Brown Nov. 8, 1922 1,595,540 Berrien Aug. 10, 1926 2,099,292 Brown Nov. 16, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 52,146 Germany May 22, 1890 

